Karnataka alliance on the edge as 8 Congress, 3 JD(S) MLAs submit resignation
Bengaluru, July 06: Karnataka could soon face a political crisis with eleven Congress- JD(S) MLAs reached the Vidhan Soudha, ready with their resignations to switch sides. If the resignation rumours comes true, JDS-Congress strength will be reduced to 111. BJP has 105 MLAs.
Among those who have put forward their resignation are H Vishwanath (JDS), Mahesh Kumthalli (Congress), BC Patil (Congress), Ramesh Jarkiholi (Congress), Shivaram Hebbar (Congress), Narayan Gowda (JDS), Gopalia (JDS), ST Somashekar (Congress), Muniratna (Congress), Pratap Gowda (Congress) and Byrathi Basavaraj (Congress).
They have submitted their resignation to Kumar's secretary as the Speaker had already left office.
Other three Congress MLAs, including Ramalinga Reddy, were also at the Speaker's office, however DK Shivakumar, the trouble shooter for Karnataka government appears to be teetering on the edge.
Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar, who was not available for the MLAs later said "I was supposed to pick up my daughter that is why I went home, I have told my office to take resignations and give acknowledgement. that 11 members resigned .Tomorrow is leave so I will see them on Monday."
Earlier, speaking to reporters, senior congress leader Ramalinga Reddy said "I have come to submit my resignation to speaker. I don't know about my daughter(Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy), she is an independent woman."
"I am not going to blame anyone in the party or the high command. I somewhere feel I was being neglected over some issues. That is why I have taken this decision," he said.
However, Karnataka state minister D K Shivakumar has denied the possibility of the resignations saying, "Nobody will resign, I had come to meet them."
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and State minister D K Shivakumar have called a emergency meeting of Congress Bengaluru MLAs and Corporators later today following the sudden development.
Reacently, two Congress leaders Anand Singh and Ramesh Jarkiholi's resigned from legislative membership hinting cracks in the 13-months old Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress coalition in the state.
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However, the two parties have repeatedly said there is no threat to the alliance and the government would complete its full term.
In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, Congress and the JD(S) failed to make a mark with the BJP bagging 25 of the 28 seats along with an Independent backed by it leaving just one seat each to the coalition partners.
The BJP appears to be convinced that the time is ripe for a strike, both because of its success in the parliamentary election and the disenchantment in the Congress over the alliance with the JD(S). If enough number of coalition MLAs resign, the BJP could claim a majority with its present strength in an Assembly of reduced strength, and by-polls could follow.
In the 225 member house, the BJP has 105 seats, the Congress prior to these resignations had 78. The JD(S) on the other hand has 37 MLAs. The BSP and the KPJ party have a seat each. There is also an independent and one Speaker.
15 MLAs from the Congress-JDS will have to resign to topple HDK government. After today's 8 resignations, government is in real trouble.